The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and Remedies for Human Rights Violations

The jurisprudence of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights in relation to remedies centres on a largely deferential attitude towards the State, with an initial overemphasis on the attainment of amicable resolutions, a reluctance to quantify, and award damages and a wholly inadequate response to serious and massive violations. The greatest failure, however, lies in the Commission's refusal to provide genuine redress to victims of human rights violations. This article aims to unpack the reasons for the Commission's approach and make suggestions for reform.